The 2002 film, Chicago

The 2002 film, Chicago

The 2002 film, Chicago, is an American musical crime comedy-drama movie that shares some similarities with the 1933 42^nd Street movie, and this is mainly because the two are from the classical Hollywood music genre. The film is mainly about being a celebrity in the showbiz industry and the scandals and corruption that these celebrities are involved in their chase for the American dream. Additionally, the two films have some elements of the Horatio Alger myth, which essentially is about the belief that anyone can achieve their desired dreams and climb to the top from being a “nobody” to becoming a “somebody.” In 42^nd Street, Peggy Sawyer starts from being a nobody when she moved to New York and eventually becomes a huge sensation in showbiz when she got a role in one of the major plays, The Pretty Lady Musical. In this film, Sawyer shows hard work and persistence in her journey towards stardom. This is different from the Chicago film, in which, in relation to the Horatio Alger myth, the movie depicts that the journey towards the top does not have to involve hard work and persistence. Instead, it shows that someone can become successful by bending the rules and being dishonest and, ultimately, taking every opportunity presented, not caring, whether it is legal or illegal.

As mentioned, the two films, Chicago and 42^nd Street, have some similarities depending on different aspects of the films. Another similarity is how the two offer similar ideological strategies such as utopianism, escapism, and wish fulfillment. The two films involve different musicals that create an escapist feeling and wish fulfillment, in which the audience is taken to another world where everything seems to line up accordingly. The film Chicago has some constructions of “unpleasure” by creating feelings of discomfort or anxiety. The dancers in the film are dressed provocatively, and the dance moves are very sexual, which creates a sense of discomfort to the audience in various scenes in the movie.

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The Horatio Alger myth is an element that can be identified in the two films, i.e., Chicago and 42^nd Street. The Horatio Alger myth is about a person’s succession from being a less important person with nothing to show for him/herself to become a successful and famous person. In essence, it entails coming from rags to riches. This is common in the two films and can be identified from how various characters in the films use different means to get to the top. The difference is in the means that the characters use to get to the top. In 42^nd Street, Peggie Sawyer uses her raw talent and works hard, which showing persistence to get to the top. However, in Chicago, Roxie and Velma do not necessarily use talent or work hard to get to the top and achieve their dreams. Instead, they do whatever it takes and even go to the extent of committing crimes to get what they want. The movie, therefore, portrays that hard work is not necessarily the only means to get to the top.

The two films, Chicago and 42^nd Street offer similar ideological strategies of utopianism, escapism, wish fulfillment, and community. All these are identified through the use of musicals, which offer a sense of escapism for the audience. The two films also offer a sense of wish fulfillment in which the movies show the means through which people achieve their dreams and wishes. The films’ ideological strategies of the community are different. In 42^nd Street, the film creates a sense of togetherness, especially through the dancers’ unity as the director even refers to them as “the kids,” and this shows that they are somewhat a family.

Chicago film’ construction of ‘unpleasure’ can be identified in some of the songs’ lyrics, which make the audience feel anxious or uncomfortable. For instance, some of the lyrics in the songs seem to justify the various crimes committed by the characters. The fact that the lyrics justify these acts makes the audience feel uncomfortable about the characters’ behaviors.

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In Chicago, the stories of Velma and Roxie are different from Peggy Sawyer’s story in 42^nd Street in relation to the Horatio Alger myth in which one aligns perfectly with the myth while the other one somehow contradicts with it. In Peggy Sawyer’s story, she utilizes her talent to make her way to the top, and along the way, she has to persevere some difficulties, and her hard work and persistence finally pays off. The Horatio Alger myth entails hard work and persistence, and this makes Peggy Sawyer’s story the perfect story that aligns with the rags to riches narrative as highlighted by the Horatio Alger myth. The movie also shows that for one to achieve, he/she must also make use of the opportunities presented by the big city. On the other hand, in Chicago, the film shows that for one to become successful in the showbiz industry, he/she must work hard and be persistent. It does not depict that being dishonest and breaking the rules is the way to become successful, as shown in Chicago. In this movie, opportunities only present themselves if one works hard.

Chicago does not offer similar ideological strategies of utopianism, escapism, wish-fulfillment, and community to 42^nd Street. The movie does not offer a sense of community as the rivalry between characters is the main theme identified in the movie. Additionally, escapism and wish-fulfillment were not ideological strategies presented in the movie as some of the songs’ lyrics are very dark and astonishing to the audience. Chicago somehow makes the audience disturbed through its various displays of “unpleasure.” Some scenes make the audience uncomfortable and anxious. This is mainly in the scenes where the dancers are seen wearing revealing clothes and dancing provocatively. The camera also focusses on some parts that make it uncomfortable to watch.

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The story of Velma and Roxie in Chicago differ from Peggy Sawyer’s story in 42^nd Street in relation to the Horatio Alger myth and the opportunities afforded by the big city. Peggy’s story is the perfect representation of the Horatio myth, which is all about making your way to the top through hard work and persistence. Peggy, after getting to New York City, worked hard and persevered all the difficulties she had to go through until she finally got her big break. She also takes the opportunities presented to her and makes the best out of them to achieve the American dream. Her story is similar to the Horatio Alger myth, which typically means “from rags to riches.” On the other hand, Velma and Roxie’s story is somehow contradictory to the myth as the two achieve their success not through hard work but by being dishonest, breaking the rules and manipulating.

Different from 42^nd Street, Chicago does not offer the same ideological strategies of utopianism, wish fulfillment, escapism, and community. In 42^nd Street, the musicals somehow take the audience to another world where their fantasies come to reality. The movie itself depicts that anyone has a chance to become successful, which what everyone wishes. On the other hand, Chicago does not depict the same. In fact, it is the opposite. It depicts that the perfect world does not exist and that those who get in the way of others can easily be eliminated, the way Velma murders her husband and his two lovers. Finally, the movie Chicago has some constructions of “unpleasure” through its portrayal of different aspects, such as showing that some people do not feel any remorse after killing someone. This is identified in some of the songs’ lyrics, which somehow justify the actions of the people who do wrong to other people.